Flavonoids are a class of compounds in plant metabolism and are best known for their antioxidant action. In product content and the mass media, they are often referred to as " bioflavonoids ", but all flavonoids in food are of biological origin.
In plants, flavonoids are a component of pigmentation that has antimicrobial and insecticidal functions. But when ingested with food, they have pronounced anti- cancer , anti-allergic , anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties that are extremely beneficial to the body.
Numerous studies have been published focusing on the benefits of flavonoids in the prevention of heart disease , high blood pressure, cancer and dementia . Only recently was a study published for the first time focusing on the effect of flavonoid-containing foods on Parkinson's syndrome . It is similar to dozens of other motor-nervous diseases.
More than 130,000 men and women took part in the study, tracking their eating habits for 20 years. More than 800 participants developed Parkinson's syndrome during this period. A detailed analysis of their diet showed that men who consumed more flavonoids benefited from a nearly 50% reduced risk of developing the syndrome.
According to Dr. Xian Gao from Harvard, head of the study, this is mainly due to the beneficial effects of a specific group of flavonoids - anthocyanins . They have powerful properties for protecting nerve and brain tissues.
Anthocyanins exist as a widespread dietary supplement under the name E163 and are approved in the European Union, Australia and New Zealand. Nutritionists recommend that in case of insufficient consumption of foods containing anthocyanins, look for products with this supplement.
Foods naturally rich in anthocyanins are all kinds of blueberries, grapes, eggplants, black rice and red cabbage. Rich in flavonoids as a whole group are also apples, red wine and green and black tea.
Each of these foods, after this study, can now be considered a natural form of fighting Parkinson's syndrome. This is especially important for modern medicine and nutrition, because the serious disease affected one in five hundred people worldwide before the age of 60. In some cases, the symptoms begin to appear as early as 20-50 years.